A one-minute pep-talk is all it takes…

You have a moment before you are required to deliver your presentation/speech. A moment which is normally devoted to panicking, double checking notes, more panicking, then maybe more note checking and a quick once over to make sure you haven’t got food down you. Sound familiar?

What if you cast aside that old ritual and used that golden minute to re-wire your brain so you could deliver your professional value without being dogged by nerves.

Here are my five ‘pre-game’ rituals I use to take myself out of the chaos and into a focused mindset.

1) Tell yourself who You are, what your purpose is and who you are intending to engage with.

“I am Will, I am here today to discuss Data Intelligence and I am going to engage with the business analysts in the room.”

That simple phrase is enough to keep your mind focused on the important aspects of your talk. You want the audience to be clear on who you are and what you stand for as a person (to build rapport and trust), be clear on what subject you will be addressing as you want everything you discuss to be pertinent to the subject. Finally, always keep in my mind who you are wanting to target in the room. Repeating these things a couple of times in your head reminds you how to impact the room.

2) Remind yourself why you are about to talk.

Again; another simple mental nudge. But this serves to make you internally answer any self-doubt, with a little re-assurance. Tell yourself that you are here because “my opinion, expertise, and knowledge is valued”. I find that answering my own doubts or self-limiting beliefs is rather freeing but also makes me more determined to deliver the best. You are in front of people because your knowledge is valued, so you owe it to them and to yourself to give as much value and knowledge. People want to leave your talk confident that their trust in you isn’t misplaced.

3) Smile.

This is simple psychology. Smile at some people in the room before you go on stage/start talking. They will think you are a warm and friendly character and will be mentally primed for your arrival onto the stage. More importantly, smiling releases a bundle of feel good chemicals in your system and boosts your confidence. This boost is a great way to begin your piece as people see you instantly as confident and bright eyed.

4) Strike a few power poses (If no one is watching).

There is a great TED Talk from Harvard Psychologist Amy Cuddy in which she explains the psychology and benefit of doing power poses. While you can’t always do a superman pose on the side of a stage (It looks weird trust me), you can strike a couple poses in the bathroom or around the corner when no one is watching. This is another great way to prime your brain with confident projections and increases your physical and mental preparedness.

5) Get excited about the Q&A or refreshments…

This one is a completely personal tip. Be excited about actually getting to know people after the presentations. You have just spent time and energy on stage appealing to them. Be excited that there is an opportunity to chase up your work and hopefully get some interesting leads. Ask if there is anything else they would want you to add next time. Talk to them about their involvement in the business you both share in. Be a genuine people person and walk on stage thinking about how great it is going to be once you are able to get amongst the audience. You don’t have to eat the refreshments, but you should maximize the time you have with your fellow business people in a relaxed setting.

There you have it. My five tips for instantly boosting your confidence. I hope you make the most of them and they help you on your way to being a great public speaker.

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The only tips I can give you are the ones I struggle most with. Let your posts and material reflect your humour, nuances and individuality. Secondly, always proofread before publishing! 😂

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